#29 Colonial Williamsburg

Colonial Williamsburg


Colonial Williamsburg was nothing like I imagined it. I was thinking log cabins and dirt roads, and what I got was well constructed brick and wood siding homes, with cobblestone walks. Williamsburg it the kind of place where you should go, and you do go and have a fantastic time (and learn about wig-making...Louise’s favorite shop), but you probably don’t need to do again.



This was taken from the courtyard of the jail looking through the house courtyard and into the lane. How much more depressing would it make your confinement to know such beauty was on the other side. At least the gallows are located in a flowering green field. A last glimpse of beauty before...SNAP.

#28 National Mall and Monuments

National Mall and Monuments


Meh, it’s tall, and not where I thought it was.



I loved the Lincoln Memorial. It was powerful. His face, his hands, I was unprepared for the emotion I felt here.



Jefferson Memorial: It was raining so hard, and it was so windy I thought we’d be swept off the steps and into the Tidal Basin. But the highlight for me was actually reading the quote the circles the rotunda.

"I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man”

One of my favorite books is “Freedom Factor” by Gerald Lund. Its premise is what if the Constitution had never been ratified. They speak of this quote, and it was fantastic to see it in person.



This statue is at the Vietnam Memorial. Again, cold, rainy and spectacularly emotional.



We saw half the monuments on a day that was sunny and HOT, and the others on a day that was cold, windy, and rainy. The day we saw the World War II memorial, it was hot. And it was filled with people sitting, soaking there feet.



FDR Memorial. We went there sort of by accident...we were looking for the Jefferson Memorial. The FDR Memorial is huge and sprawling, and it was the rainy day so we didn’t linger as long as we should have.

#27 Historic Downtown New York

Historic Downtown New York


New York was kind of a “throw-away” stop. Yes we saw the Statue of Liberty, but we didn’t go to Ellis Island. We took the Staten Island Ferry past it. The whole purpose of the New York part of the trip was for JL to meet up with some friends who are serving an LDS couples mission on Long Island. So, we ferried past the SoL and then met them for lunch and chatting which lasted until it was time to catch the train back to Philly.



Also, speaking as a small town girl: Nothing will prepare you for New York City. It is huge. There are a gazillion people. The buildings are all really, really tall. The streets are narrow, often one-way, and I’m glad we were in a taxi. It was incredibly intimidating and it took quite a bit of courage to venture out to find a pharmacy. (I needed aloe for the sunburn Philly gave me.)

#26 Independence Historic National Park

Independence Hall (Independence Historic National Park)


I word about the Liberty Bell. It is a bell. With a crack. The end. The line to see the bell was long; JL and I had a discussion that went something like this:

ME: It’s just a broken bell, right?
JL: Yes.
ME: Do we really need to wait in line to see a broken bell?
JL: Probably not.
ME: But if you come all the way to Philadelphia don’t you have to see the Liberty Bell?
JL: Yes.
ME: So we stand in line.
JL: So we stand in line.

Here’s the thing about Independence Hall. History lives here. It breathes here. For anyone who cares about this country it is an amazing and sacred experience. To stand in the same room where the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were signed. Absolutely amazing.



I took a few pictures in the Congressional Hall, but none really came out the way I’d envisioned. The Ranger who led us in, sat us down, and started talking. Talking about the two presidents who were sworn in in that building. The first was George Washington at the beginning of his second term. The second was John Adams, and there was hardly a dry eye in the house. “Why?” She asked. Imagine the scene. George Washington was voluntarily transferring his title, his power to someone not related to him, and without violence and bloodshed. It had never happened before. Never. And the people wept. Except for George Washington, who was ready to enjoy a quiet retirement.

#25 Philly Food

Philly Food




When we got to Pat’s there was a TV crew there from Chicago. They were actually covering the PA primary, but this was the obligatory cheesesteak story. They tried to interview JL until they discovered we weren’t local. Neither were most of the other diners. The locals who were there...didn’t want to be on camera. My best guess is they are tired of being asked if they ever eat at the other establishment. I’ve seen the same kind of segment on a variety of programs.





In the Great Cheesesteak Debate it boils down to this: Geno’s is better. It is. Pat’s meat was thick cut, fatty, and chewy. Geno’s was thinly sliced and seasoned better. The real bottom line: at either place, you can totally share a steak and fries. They are enormous!

#24 Pennsylvania Dutch Country

Pennsylvania Dutch Country


Obligatory picture of an Amish horse and buggy, taken with stealth.



I’d spent a lot of time on http://www.padutchcountry.com/ and settled on one of the driving tours, of covered bridges. Here’s the scoop...they all...look pretty much the same. But the drive itself took us out and around some beautiful country. One of the most fascinating things was that I expected the Amish to be cloistered, in a closed community, like in Witness or something. We saw several farms where horse and buggy were parked in one driveway, and pick up trucks in the next.



JL bought a half moon bird house from a roadside farm (she wanted a really elaborate birdhouse, but was thwarted by finding means to ship it home). And we found that much like every other sector of society we were treated warmly by some, ignored by others, and yelled at by one angry Amish guy.

#23 Gettysburg

Gettysburg


We got a little lost looking for the visitor’s center, so we ended up purchasing a tour from a local operator. The guide was fantastic, how he could keep the entire battle straight is beyond me. (Although, if I talked about it all day everyday, it would probably become second nature to me as well.) The biggest problem was the bus only stopped once. I think I would have preferred to keep looking for the NPS center and get the audio driving tour, so I could’ve stopped and taken pictures everywhere.



On Little Round Top there is a castle-like building and we went in, climbed the stairs and looked out. Then we looked down, and at the base of the tower was a rock making the place of death of a soldier. Gettysburg is awe-inspiring. To walk the grounds where the most important battle of the civil war took place is near overwhelming, to think of those who lost their lives, and have it seem real. That real people ran through the town, firing muskets. That those are real bullet holes, and cannon ball damage, that these buildings in front of you, they were here, they witnessed the battle.



One word of caution, do not visit the Hall of Presidents unless you have need of serious comic relief. It’s awful.

#22 Shenandoah

Shenandoah


Hmm, yeah there were deer. Really close to the road. And squirrels, lots of squirrels. Right on the road.



Shenandoah was one of the things I was really looking forward too, and so it was really disappointing. I kept saying over and over, “I can see how it will be pretty.” Just the wrong time of year, I guess. Not enough green , and way too much brown.

#21 Monticello

Monticello


I originally thought we’d come, we’d see, we’d move on to the next thing, but Monticello was spectacular. The gardens were blooming, the day was beautiful, and the view was awesome. The house tour itself, was too short...maybe 5 rooms, but the guide was funny, and good at involving the whole group (we had a couple of pre-k’s in the group), and using anecdotes to share the information.



After the tour we walked through the “secret tunnel” and looked at the quarters, storage, and other facilities beneath the house. It was about then that I was really regretting not springing for the audio tour, and not having enough time to hear the garden and plantation tours.



Definitely should be on the list...one of the best views I’ve seen for a long time. Plus, I love history and visiting Monticello made it come alive.

#20 Obrycki's

Obrycki’s


I don’t really eat seafood; I’m allergic to shellfish actually, but Obrycki’s was on The List, so Obrycki’s I will visit. My traveling companions (my sister JL, and her daughter Louise) both LOVE! seafood. They both started with soup, JL had the tomato shrimp bisque and thought it was good, but spicy. Louise had the clam chowder and she liked it quite a bit. JL and I thought the bread was delicious.



I had a perfectly delicious turkey club with crispy bacon and potato chips, JL had the shrimp scampi, and Louise had something she really didn’t care for, too spicy. (Her night ended with a Wendy’s drive thru.) It really looked like the lid had come off the seasoning jar and it spilled in a big pile in the middle of the dish.



I had hoped they would order something that involved getting a wooden mallet to beat the hell out of dinner with, but no such luck.

Regardless, we all had a good time, and it was a fun place to stop after a full day of traveling.

A Very Ambitious Schedule

My lovely 11-year old niece was accepted into a Leadership Training Program in Washington D.C. Since my sister (JL) didn’t want her to fly alone, I volunteered to escort her to and from, drop her off, and be close by in case something major happened. “There are plenty of things on The List to see and do in the area,” I said, “it won’t be any trouble at all.”

So I started the planning and the more I spoke with JL about my plans, the more interested she became. Until finally she just asked if she could tag along. So, the planning continued and we fly out next week. Our schedule will be jam-packed, but with quite a bit of flexibility to stay longer and leave earlier. And I’ll need a vacation after this trip. Luckily, I have one planned.

Here are the places/things from The List we’ll be visiting:
Obrycki’s
Chesapeake Bay
Monticello
Shenandoah
Gettysburg
Pennsylvania Dutch Country
Independence Park
Philly Food
Winterthur
New York City
Historic Downtown New York
Washington DC Mall & Monuments
The Smithsonian